


Beneath the Reeds

by TheFairieQueen



Series: DGM Big Bang 2018 [2]
Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Angst, Background Relationships, Backstory, Canon Backstory, Canonical Character Death, Developing Relationship, F/M, Pre-Canon, Rated M for the end, Romance, Tragedy, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-07 01:41:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15898329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFairieQueen/pseuds/TheFairieQueen
Summary: He never saw the point of temporary things.  He never saw the point of getting too close.  But she was there, fresh and radiant like a flower, and like the sun she gave him light.





	Beneath the Reeds

When it was destroyed, Yuu felt relief.  
  
That’s what he told himself, at least – it was a relief.  It was not a burden.  Yuu had survived again, even if by the skin of his teeth.  The dark ash that sizzled into the earth, transforming into inky pentacles, was a testament to such.   
  
Smoky.  Dark.  Poisonous.  
  
Yuu covered his mouth with his arm, careful not to breathe.  Those fumes were _toxic_ – no human could inhale them without succumbing to the akuma virus.  It didn’t matter how strong a person was.  Anyone was susceptible to the virus.  Anyone was susceptible to death.  And that meant Yuu as well.   
  
Yuu sighed.  He was just glad to be done for now.  
  
Quietly, the exorcist re-sheathed his sword.  _Mugen_ it was called.  An anti-akuma weapon to some, or innocence to others.  
  
“Oi, don’t linger near that shit, Yuu.”  
  
Yuu turned, blue eyes landing on the other young man just a few feet away.  He was tall, with richly tanned skin and short, spiky brown hair.  Like Yuu, he wore a uniform: an all black coat with slacks, and all lined with light grey.  Over the left breast was a silver rose cross, which looked as though it were a badge.  
  
“Don’t worry, Cassius,” Yuu mumbled, as he gave the now-destroyed akuma one last glance.  He turned back to Cassius, and approached him.  “You get the innocence?”  
  
Cassius smirked.  “Yeah, I snagged it before anything could hurt it,” He responded, as he held up a box.  It was small, and didn’t look to be anything impressive.  There was no decoration or marking on it, and the box was just _plain_.  
  
Yuu frowned.  So _this_ is what he had just stuck his neck out for?  Innocence or not, it was definitely less than what he expected.  “What’s in it?” He asked.  
  
Clicking the box open, Cassius showed Yuu.  Inside was only ten rings, each that looked as though they were meant for one’s ringers.  “Guess it’ll only work on an accommodator with all ten fingers, eh?” Cassius spoke, sounding amused by his own words.  
  
Yuu tried not to roll his eyes at the terrible attempt at humor.  “Whatever.  As long as it wasn’t damaged or anything,” Yuu spoke, before casting one last glance to where the akuma ashes were.  “Let’s just go before something else comes here.  This mission got dragged out too long already.”  
  
Cassius closed the box, and put it away.  “Fine by me.  I’m ready to go home already.”  
  
A sour taste appeared in Yuu’s mouth.  _Home._   He didn’t know how Cassius could call Headquarters that.  Headquarters might have been where they now lived, but it _wasn’t_ home.   
  
Yuu would never call it such.  He didn’t know if he ever could.  
  


* * *

  
  
The trip back to Headquarters didn’t take too long.  Yuu and Cassius’s mission had had taken them to Vienna, but with the increasing usage of locomotives transportation time was reduced. – something that both exorcists were grateful for.  Originally, the assignment had been a matter of locating and recovering innocence identified in the area due to a spike in abnormal activity.  The assignment had proven to be more a challenge than either Yuu or Cassius anticipated, and the mission had extended to almost two months.  
  
Yuu might not have called Headquarters home, but he _would_ be glad to sleep in his room again.  If anything, there was at least the familiarity of the space, and the illusion of comfort that he could cling to with such.  
  
“It’ll be so nice to sleep in our own beds again,” Cassius said, vocalizing Yuu’s own thoughts.  He leaned against the window of the train car with his elbow, hazel eyes staring outward at the landscape.  
  
Yuu snorted softly.  “Yeah.  It’ll be nice not to have to listen to your _snoring_ anymore too,” He grumbled.  
  
Cassius looked at Yuu with mock hurt.  “You _wound_ me, Yuusef.”  
  
“Yeah, well you wound my ears.”  
  
Despite the feigned hurt he attempted to wear, Cassius laughed.  It was short, and somewhat dry, but genuine all the same.  “Fair point,” He conceded.  “I was always told my snoring was obnoxious.  Mariam poked fun at me for it.”  
  
As Cassius said the name, a distant look flickered in his eyes.  His gaze shifted to the window briefly, though he looked back at Yuu, and smiled again.  “Pretty pathetic how I keep hoping to see her again, huh?”  
  
Yuu’s expression grew somber, as he shifted his gaze sideways.  Cassius had joined the Order only a few months before Yuu had arrived, and both had trained under General Yeegar.  During this time, they inevitably formed something of a friendship.  Naturally, that had left to Cassius opening up to Yuu about his life prior to the Order.  
  
Yuu shrugged when he realized Cassius was waiting for a response.  “She was your fiancée.  It’d be shitty if you didn’t miss her,” He spoke, words coming out rather blunt despite the (poor) attempt at comfort.  
  
Cassius’s lips quirked upward.  “You’re always so eloquent, you know that?” He jested, clearly trying to keep the mood light (doubtlessly for his own sake).  “But when you put it like that, it does help me feel less like a loser.”  
  
Yuu didn’t reply.  It was nice to know his words were helpful (sort of), but truthfully he couldn’t offer much else to Cassius.  It wasn’t as though Yuu had left a fiancée or anything in order to join the Black Order.  He couldn’t relate to whatever emotions Cassius was experiencing.   
  
Yuu wasn’t even sure if he could have taken such a loss as well as Cassius had though; he had never been in love, but Yuu imagined it would have been a nasty experience to have to leave someone supposedly so important behind.   
  
And with the painfully longing look Cassius had every time he spoke of Mariam, Yuu imagined she must have been _very_ important to Cassius.  
  
Truthfully, Yuu was glad he didn’t have anyone like that.  He didn’t want that sort of pain.  
  
Cassius looked at Yuu, curiosity brimming in his eyes.  “What about you?  You know, we’ve known each other over a year now, but you rarely talk about your family or anything.”  
  
Hearing this, Yuu’s mouth formed a thin line, and he averted his gaze.  “There’s not much to talk about,” He spoke, voice low.  “I was on my own for a while.  Nothing really to reminisce over.”  
  
Cassius blinked, then shrugged.  “Alright then.  Just wondering,” He said, seemingly not too surprised by Yuu’s answer.  
  
Yuu didn’t respond, but kept his arms crossed as he shifted his focus to the window.  He was quiet the rest of the train ride.  
  


* * *

  
  
It was night when the exorcists returned to headquarters.  The Black Order was nestled far away from the public eye, hidden atop a plateau far north.  It had a rather ominous appearance to anyone who saw it, and even more so to anyone who was not familiar with the nature of the organization.  Yuu could still remember his first time seeing it, and the initial resistance he had felt to even entering the building.  
  
But, here Yuu was.  Returning as willingly as always like some loyal dog to the Order.  
  
The two exorcists had come in through the underground canal, as a finder steered the boat back for them.  Yuu looked over at Cassius.  “Hey.  You go ahead and turn the innocence in.”  
  
Cassius looked at Yuu, an eyebrow raised.  “What, you’re not coming back with me?  You know the head chief will want to hear back from both of us.”  
  
Yuu shrugged nonchalantly.  “He’ll hear from me when I turn my report it.  It’s not necessary for us both to go.”  
  
“Suit yourself, but you better hope the General Yeegar isn’t there.  You know how he is about respect and formalities.”  
  
“Tch.  It’s not disrespectful for me to want to go to bed,” Yuu grumbled, already feeling his patience wear a little.  The lack of sleep he had received on the assignment had done him no favors, and despite being friends with Cassius he still felt a bit aggravated by the warning.  
  
Cassius seemed to sense Yuu’s agitation, and let the topic roll off his shoulders.  ”Alright, alright.  Go crash then.  I’ll probably be right behind you once I get this bad boy turned in.”  
  
The boat came to a stop, finally reaching the edge of the dock.  Yuu got out quickly, eager to retreat to his room.  
  
Cassius stopped him.  “Hey – you still want to train tomorrow morning?”  
  
Yuu paused, then nodded.  “Sure,” He agreed.  If Yuu had been honest, he wouldn’t have minded one day to sleep in.  But he knew that it would be better to train; it was sort of a trend that he and Cassius had started to better strengthen and refine their combat skills.  Yes, they had been under a lot of stress on their assignment – but it wouldn’t do them any favors to fall out of shape.  
  
After that, Yuu departed.   He was relieved it was late enough that most people at the Order were probably winding down for the evening, which made it easy to avoid people.  Not that Yuu necessarily _hated_ everyone…but he definitely didn’t care to talk to them.  Really, aside from Cassius and Yeeger, Yuu didn’t really go out of his way to interact with anyone if he could help it.  
  
He exhaled.  _God_ , he was tired.   
  
By the time he had reached the ground level, Yuu decided that he would probably swing by the kitchen before he retired.  Interacting with people might not have been a necessity, but food was.  But because of the time Yuu realized that there would probably still be people getting dinner if they hadn’t retired yet, which caused Yuu to hesitate.  
  
Ugh.  Yuu really didn’t want to have to deal with people.  
  
Stubbornly, Yuu figured he could just…kill time for the next half hour or so.  By then most of the area would probably be cleared out, and thirty minutes of fresh air wouldn’t kill him.  
  
Yuu exited the building, entering out into the cool, night air.  Even though the season was just beginning to transition into spring, it was still cold enough that Yuu found it a bit irritating.  Not terribly unpleasant, but irritating.   
  
Yuu glanced up; the sky was clear, and he could see the stars speckled throughout the night sky.  
  
A breeze brushed past Yuu, and he turned his attention away from the inky darkness that stretched above him.  He started to walk, moving about the outskirts of the building.  As he did this, he eventually came to one area; Yuu had passed it numerous times in the past, but he frowned when he realized something was different.  Along the side of the wall, there was an area on the ground.  It had always been a fairly clear area, with only soil, rocks, and some grass – but now the ground looked as though it had been raked, and bedded.  
  
Yuu frowned.  Someone had started a garden?  He had no idea who would have done such a thing – everyone at Headquarters was always focused on the Order’s mission.  And Yuu couldn’t think of anyone he knew that would even have the _patience_ to start something.  It wasn’t like many finders lasted that long in the Order, as grim a fact as that was, and the exorcists were constantly being called off on assignments.  There were the scientists, but they were always pre-occupied with…whatever it was they were working on.  Yuu didn’t care to think about them much.  
  
“What a waste of time…” Yuu muttered, as he gave the garden one last glance.  Some sprouts were already there, likely planted by someone. But, they appeared weak and insignificant.  Yuu doubted they would last long.  
  
Turning away, Yuu moved on.  Soon, the sprouts were forgotten.  
  


* * *

  
  
The next morning, Yuu was at the training room.  It was early enough that no one was down there yet, which was fine by him.  Yuu savored the quiet.  
  
Yuu grasped at the hilt of Mugen.  It felt heavy, and always seemed to weigh down on his body.  
  
Pushing aside the observation, Yuu began his normal training routine.  Despite having been gone nearly two months, he fell back into the pattern with ease.  Muscle memory seemed to kick in, and Yuu had to be careful not to let himself go into autopilot mode.  It was good that he was so used to the movements and techniques, but still necessary to keep his focus.  That was the kind of mistake that could be fatal.  
  
The entrance to the training room opened, breaking Yuu’s concentration.  There was a tinge of annoyance he felt at having been interrupted, but he tried to brush it off.  Most likely, it was Cassius who had showed up.  
  
However, when Yuu turned he saw it wasn’t Cassius.  
  
The man who entered was older, and looked as though he was somewhere in his fifties.  His long, brown hair was streaked with white and gray – a testament to his age, no doubt.  He also wore a uniform, similar to an exorcist one, but with slightly different details.  A general’s uniform.  
  
Yuu turned his attention to the man fully.  “General Yeegar,” He greeted.  “I didn’t expect to see you here at this time.”  
  
“That’s surprising, given that I was the one who started you on an early training routine,” Yeegar pointed out.  There had been what sounded like a hint of warmth in his words, but as Yeegar continued his tone became a bit more firm.  “I also believe I taught you that you’re always supposed to report to the head chief after an assignment.”  
  
Yuu had to fight the urge to roll his eyes.  He really _did_ respect the general, but he found it aggravating to be scolded.  “I’ll make up for it with my report.  Anyways, it’s not like Cassius and I both needed to be there – we saw the same thing.”  
  
Yeegar exhaled.  “You still have a lot to learn,” He observed, before his gray eyes met Yuu’s.  “Well, since you didn’t meet with the head chief I should inform you – Cassius won’t be joining you this morning.  He’s already being sent out again to look into something.”  
  
Yuu looked surprised by this.  A small scowl appeared on his face.  “What about the other exorcists?” Yuu questioned.  “We _did_ just get back…”  
  
“It’s a smaller assignment, and Cassius is only going to look into it as a precaution,” Yeegar explained.  “I know you two usually work together, but it didn’t seem imperative to send you both.”  
  
The frown didn’t exactly waver, but Yuu said nothing.  He supposed Yeegar’s explanation was satisfactory enough.   
  
“Besides, it’s good you’re here.  You can meet our newest recruit since you weren’t present last night.”  
  
Yuu whipped his head back in Yeegar’s direction.  They had found a new accommodator?   
  
“Are they going to be a disciple of yours?” Yuu asked, though there was a hint of wariness in his voice.  Basically, the question translated to: _Are they going to be in my unit and am I going to have to deal with them?_  
  
Yeegar raised an eyebrow.  “Would that be a problem?”  
  
The question was somewhat pointed, and Yuu instantly knew Yeegar had read the translation clearly enough.  It also seemed to answer Yuu’s inquiry about being in the same unit as the newest accommodator.   
  
Yuu shook his head.  “No,” He answered, although his response was stiff.  
  
The general appeared satisfied, and nodded.  “Good.  I’m sure she’ll be looking forward to meeting you.”  
  
_‘She, huh?’_ Yuu thought, realizing the exorcist was a female.  Well, that wasn’t actually too groundbreaking; one of the other exorcists in a different unit was female, although Yuu didn’t interact with her often.  
  
Yeegar made a move to depart, but stopped, giving Yuu one last look.  “Make sure you’re actually polite when you meet Alma, Yuusef.  You know how you have a tendency to be standoffish.”  
  
There was a hint of amusement in the general’s voice, but the use of Yuu’s full name was still enough to indicate he was serious.  Yuu begrudgingly nodded.  
  
Appeased by the response, Yeegar left Yuu in the training room.  Silently, Yuu wondered just what kind of person this “Alma” was.  
  


* * *

  
  
Yuu had only trained for about another hour or so after his interaction with Yeegar.  By the time he was leaving, it was still quite early and quiet in the halls.  He passed a few finders on the way out, but none of them gave him any more acknowledgement than a slight nod of the head before being on their way.  
  
Most people knew that Yuu wasn’t a talkative person.  Aside from his unit, he really never went out of his way to interact with other people.   It just…seemed unnecessary.  Occasionally, he might talk to some of the other exorcists since he would have to work with them, but even _that_ was kept to a minimum.   
  
It was just easier to keep things that way.  
  
Still – Yuu was sure he’d have to meet this Alma person sooner or later.  He wasn’t certain how he felt about that.  On one end, it was good to have another exorcist on board.  God knew that the Order needed it.  But, it would be a bit tiresome to have to adjust to someone else, especially if they were now going to be in the same unit as Yuu.  It had taken him several months to get used to Cassius, and heck, sometimes Cassius _still_ annoyed Yuu.   
  
Yuu just hoped this new person was at the very least bearable.  
  
There was the sound of laughter, which unexpectedly broke Yuu’s train of thought.  It wasn’t a loud laugh by any means, but it was startlingly light and bell-like.  Yuu couldn’t think of anyone he knew with such a laugh.  
  
Glancing down the hall, Yuu saw two people ahead.  One was a finder that he had actually worked with before, though Yuu admittedly couldn’t recall his name.  James or something like that – Yuu was never good with names, especially when it came to the finders.   
  
As for the other person…Yuu had never seen them before.  It was a woman who looked to be around Yuu’s age if not a year or so younger; even from where Yuu stood, he could see she had a fresh-faced and painfully _innocent_ look to her.  It clashed with the dress she was wearing, which was black and a tailored version of the exorcist uniform female accommodators wore.  
  
Yuu realized that this woman was probably the accommodator Yeegar had spoken of – _Alma_.  
  
Somehow, this realization annoyed him.  He wasn’t sure why, but it did.  Something about the way this new _exorcist_ appeared just aggravated him, but Yuu couldn’t put his finger on it to save his sorry life.  It was stupid, and probably illogical to feel such a thing, but the sensation was there and it grated at the back of his spine like needles on a chalkboard.  
  
The young woman’s eyes flickered over in Yuu’s direction, and their gazes met briefly.  Yuu felt his ears burn when he realized he’d been caught staring.  
  
Sharply, Yuu tore his gaze away before he started down a different hallway.   
  
Yuu didn’t know why he was avoiding this new exorcist, but he knew he didn’t want to talk to her right there.  Maybe it was foolish of him; she was going to be in Yeegar’s unit, which meant Yuu would _have_ to work with her sooner or later.  That was inevitable, and it probably would have made more sense to briefly introduce himself and get it over with.  
  
Yet, he didn’t turn back.  He didn’t want to.  
  
There was the sound of footsteps, light and not far behind him.  Yuu felt himself tense.  God, he hoped this Alma girl wasn’t _following_ him or anything.   
  
The footsteps grew closer, and Yuu’s jaw clenched.  Okay, so if she _was_ trying to catch up to him he was going to stop it right there-  
  
“Excuse me, but-“  
  
Yuu whipped around, glaring sharply before he could even think to hold back.  “Do you need something?” He asked, words coming out a bit harsher than he had intended.  
  
He came face to face with a pair of wide blue eyes – blue like the sky, he noticed.  Endless and bright.   
  
Yuu didn’t linger on them for long, and quickly took in the rather startled expression the young woman had.  In the back of his mind, Yuu could practically _hear_ Yeegar scolding him.  
  
Well, at least Yeegar wasn’t around to see anything.  
  
The young woman managed to gather herself surprisingly quickly.  “Ah, sorry,” She apologized, although she kept her tone light.  She smiled good-naturedly.  “I just realized I hadn’t seen you around yet – you must be Yuusef, right?  General Yeegar told me you were also in his unit.”  
  
She spoke quickly, almost in a way that could be described as excitable.  Yuu already felt out of place talking to her – he wasn’t good with chatty people.   
  
Exhaling, he tried to keep himself composed.  “It’s Yuu,” He corrected stiffly, not wanting her to get into the habit of calling him by his full name.  The only people who did that were General Yeegar, and the higher ups – and that was usually in more formal or serious talks.   Cassius had on a few occasions, but that was usually when he was trying to be funny or something stupid.  
  
Realizing that he was now stuck in a (small) conversation, Yuu pushed himself to get any intros clarified.  He looked at the woman, almost warily.  “You must be Alma…”  
  
At this, Alma’s expression brightened.  “Oh, Yeegar must have told you then!  That makes this less awkward at least,” She expressed brightly.   
  
_‘If only,’_ Yuu wanted to say, though he forced himself to bite his tongue.  He had to remember that it wouldn’t be good to snap on Alma, even if she was annoyingly conversational.   
  
There was an awkward pause, and Yuu realized that this was the part where he probably was expected to contribute more.  He internally cursed.  “Yeah,” He finally agreed.  “Sure.”  
  
Again, another awkward pause.  
  
Alma blinked, and even she appeared a little unsure given Yuu’s somewhat strained responses.  But somehow she managed to let them roll of her shoulders as though they were nothing too tortured, and she changed the subject.  “So, you and Cassius were gone on an assignment?  I heard you were in Vienna – I bet it was quite the trip.”  
  
“Tch.  Yeah, considering we almost died…” Yuu muttered, not sure what Alma was even trying to get at by this point.  
  
This time, Alma seemed to falter a bit in her words.  She laughed, this time a bit sheepishly.  “Well, Cassius was right – you do have a way with words.”  
  
Yuu inwardly groaned.  Shit, what the hell had _Cassius_ told Alma?  
  
Before Alma could say anymore, Yuu turned, and started walking.  
  
Alma blinked in confusion.  “Yuu-“  
  
“I have to go somewhere,” Yuu spoke sharply, not wanting Alma to get any ideas about more talking.  He was already suffering enough from their “conversation” as it was, and more than anything just wanted to get away from Alma.  
  
Behind him, Alma didn’t make an attempt to go over Yuu.  Instead, she only watched him walk off.  
  


* * *

  
  
The rest of the day Yuu managed to avoid running into Alma again, and for that he was thankful.  
  
He wouldn’t have said Alma was a terrible person.  But, Alma was incessantly talkative and Yuu already knew she was going to grate on his nerves.  He couldn’t _deal_ with that kind of energy, and was honestly dreading the fact that they were in the same unit.   
  
Yuu exhaled.  _‘Of all people to get stuck with…’_ He thought, as he headed back to where the private residencies were.  Yuu had just completed some evening training, although he had done so outside in order to avoid the amount of people who would have been using the training room during that time.  For whatever reason, evening practices seemed to be popular.  
  
Granted, Yuu had considered…possibly going.  Despite his annoyance with Alma, Yuu realized he still had not seen her innocence or what it was.  There was a small hint of curiosity, as it was difficult for Yuu to even fathom someone so _light_ harboring such a weapon.   
  
Yuu shook his head.  Why was he still thinking about Alma?  He had been thinking about her ever since they interacted, and it was beginning to aggravate him.  _‘As long as she does her job.  That’s all that matters.’_  
  
Yuu told himself this again and again, but still he couldn’t entirely wipe the sight of those bright blue eyes from his memory.  
  
As Yuu approached the level where the exorcists remained, he slowed his pace. In the distance, he could hear voices – soft, low.   Yuu didn’t bother to try to make out what was being said; it wasn’t any of his business.  However, his interest was somewhat piqued when he recognized a familiar, silvery voice – Alma’s voice.  
  
A small laugh.  “Don’t worry.  I’m not a little girl anymore – I can take care of myself you know.”  
  
“Just be careful,” A low voice answered, stern in its tone.  “I’ll try to check in with you later.”  
  
Yuu frowned a little.  He recognized that voice too.  
  
Coming into the hall, Yuu turned.  He just caught sight of a door shutting – probably where Alma’s room was, and a familiar man exiting.  He looked to be in his thirties, with somewhat slicked back, ashen-colored hair and a goatee.  A harsh edge remained on his face, cold and stoic, and he wore a monocle over his right eye.  He also wore a white lab coat.  
  
Yuu knew the man right away: Sahlins Epstain.  
  
Immediately, Yuu felt his own expression harden.  He hadn’t interacted much with Sahlins, and had never felt a desire to.  As far as Yuu was concerned, the Epstain family was in general elitist, and Sahlins in particular had a prideful air about him that grated on Yuu’s nerves extensively.  He often found himself wishing that the current science division head would transfer already to the Asian Branch since there was a rumor going around about it, but for now Sahlins seemed to be assisting at headquarters.    
  
Keeping his mouth shut, Yuu kept walking as he passed Sahlins.  The scientist did not bother to acknowledge him either.  
  
Gradually, Yuu could hear Sahlins footsteps fade as he disappeared to elsewhere – probably the science division to work on whatever.   With this in mind, Yuu stopped briefly and turned.  There was a frown on his face as he silently wondered what Sahlins could have possibly been talking to _Alma_ about.  They were both so radically different in personality, Yuu was honestly at a loss for whatever bizarre circumstances they could have been interacting under-  
  
The door Yuu had just passed open, and Alma came out.  She had shut the door only before noticing Yuu, and turned to him with a questioning look when she saw he was just standing there.  
  
Inwardly, Yuu cursed as he froze up a bit – though he wasn’t entirely sure why.  He realized he should have just kept walking rather than risk getting caught in another awkward exchange.  
  
When Yuu didn’t move, Alma appeared even more perplexed.  “Um…is something wrong?” She asked, sounding somewhat confused.  “You’re…just sort of standing there.”  
  
Finally, Yuu seemed to snap himself out of whatever daze he had been in.  “No,” He answered somewhat stiffly.  However, Yuu didn’t make a move to leave right away, and his mind flickered back to Sahlins.  “You…know Sahlins?” Yuu questioned, before he could stop himself.  
  
The inquiry seemed to catch Alma a little off guard, but she smiled with a hint of amusement.  “Could you hear him lecturing me all the way down the hall?” She playfully asked.   “He’s been like that for as long as I can remember.  It’s hard to believe he’s family sometimes.”  
  
The words floored Yuu.  _Family_? He almost choked on his own oxygen.   
  
Alma noticed Yuu’s shocked expression, and laughed freely.  “Don’t look so surprised!” She remarked, her amusement lingering.  Once she gathered herself, she caught Yuu’s gaze, though mirth remained in her irises.  “We’re cousins.”  
  
Cousins.  Alma was Sahlins’ _cousin._    
  
Shit, there was a plot twist that Yuu hadn’t seen coming.  
  
Yuu eyed Alma briefly, but still found the connection difficult to manifest as any sort of reality.  Alma was just so….so damn _sweet_ looking, and Sahlins was anything but.   
  
“I don’t see a resemblance,” Yuu bluntly stated.  
  
“Mm.  That’s what a lot of people tend to say,” Alma agreed before she focused her attention completely on Yuu.  “You seem more talkative now, though.  Maybe I should have led with that I was related to Sahlins when I first met you.”  
  
The comment was lighthearted, but it unexpectedly made Yuu’s ears burn a little.  He averted his gaze, throat suddenly feeling a bit dry.  
  
There was a slight pause, though it wasn’t quite as awkward as it had been earlier when the two interacted.  Alma certainly appeared more at ease, even if the same couldn’t be said for Yuu.  She offered a small smile in his direction.  “Were you turning in for the night?”  
  
An out.  This question was giving Yuu an out, and he would have been stupid not to take it.  He nodded.  “Yeah.  I just got done with training.”  
  
Alma blinked, tilting her head to the side slightly.  “Oh?  I didn’t see you in the training room.”  
  
_‘Damn,’_ Yuu thought, realizing he shouldn’t have elaborated beyond a simple yes or no.  But he was already backed into a corner with yet another question, and quickly scrambled for an answer.  “I don’t always train there,” He finally responded.  
  
The response seemed to appease Alma, but soon enough she spoke up again – this time, her words a suggestion rather than a question.  “Well, we should train together sometime,” She offered.  “It would probably be best given we’re on the same unit now.”  
  
Her words were logical, and Yuu couldn’t outright argue with Alma.  It _would_ make sense for them to train together, and to get a feel for how each other was in combat.  Not knowing anything about each other’s skills and techniques would only end up being problematic.  
  
Which meant…Yuu would have to agree with Alma on this one.  
  
Shifting his weight a little, Yuu nodded.  “Probably,” He conceded, still averting his gaze.   
  
When Yuu didn’t speak anymore, Alma looked at him curiously. “So…would you like to train together tomorrow?” She asked.  “I could meet you wherever it is you prefer to train if you’d rather not use the training room.”  
  
Yuu exhaled as he thought.  He only really used the training rooms before everyone else was awake, and he wasn’t certain how Alma would be with waking up that early.  At the same time, he was hesitant to just yet tell Alma where it was in the woods he liked to run off to.  For Yuu, that was one of the few escapes he had, and not something he was quite ready to divulge.  
  
“Are you okay with waking up early?” Yuu asked.  “I only use the training rooms first thing in the morning – usually when everyone is still asleep.”  
  
Alma’s lips quirked upward a little.  “You really aren’t the social type, are you?” She mused.  “I can get up early though, so don’t worry.”  
  
Yuu nodded, doing his best to ignore the teasing quip.  “Alright,” He spoke, before hesitating a little.  “I’ll…see you in the morning then.”  
  
Alma smiled warmly.  “Goodnight, Yuu,” She said, before she started to walk off.  
  
Yuu wavered.  It would have been polite to had bid Alma a goodnight as well, but for whatever reason he found himself struggling to speak once more, and could only watch as Alma disappeared down the hall.  
  
He realized that he was wondering where she might have gone, but decided he could ask later on.  He would already be seeing her the next morning.  
  


* * *

  
  
Yuu was the first person in the training room the next morning.  This was no surprise – he was _always_ the first person in the training room.  It was a good thing though, since it gave Yuu a little time to focus.   
  
His mind had been cluttered a lot lately it seemed, so Yuu was taking the opportunity to meditate a bit.  He didn’t do this frequently – only on occasion, though he knew it would probably be beneficial if he tried to make more of a habit out of it.   
  
Yeegar had been the one to introduce Yuu to it; the general was always a stickler for mindfulness, and felt meditation was key in acquiring that.  He had somewhat harped on Yuu a bit at first over this, especially given how headstrong and impulsive Yuu had been when he first began his training.  Of course, Yuu _was_ still pretty headstrong – though he had improved with any recklessness, which had gotten Yeegar to hound him less over things.  
  
Yuu took a breath, and tried to ground himself.  He was sitting on the ground, cross-legged with his eyes closed as he attempted to clear his mind.  _‘Focus…’_  
  
Trying.  Yuu was trying, but not succeeding.  His mind kept jumping from topic to topic: akuma, assignments, _Alma_ …  
  
Eyes still closed, Yuu frowned.  Again, the young woman seemed to have wormed her way into his thoughts, and it frustrated Yuu.  _‘Damn it…’_  
  
“What are you doing?” A voice whispered.  
  
Yuu jumped, completely caught off guard.  He turned sharply to see Alma bending down, looking at him with a curious stare.  
  
Yuu glared.  “Can you _not_ sneak up on me like that?”  
  
Alma’s look became apologetic.  “Sorry,” She offered.  “I couldn’t think of an easy way to get your attention otherwise.”  
  
Composing himself, Yuu stood.  “It’s fine,” He spoke, though his voice was a little gruff.  He never liked being caught off guard.  
  
Standing, Yuu looked at Alma.  He didn’t see her with any kind of visible weapon, but he assumed she must have kept her anti-akuma weapon in some form nearby.   
  
“You have your anti-akuma weapon?” Yuu asked, a dubious edge to his voice as he unsheathed Mugen.  He didn’t think Alma would have come unprepared, but the question remained all the same.  
  
Alma nodded, then held up her right hand.    Yuu had noticed earlier that Alma wore fingerless gloves, but he cold now see that at the base of her wrist it connected to a bracelet, which held what looking like a silvery shard.  
  
Activating her innocence, the shard extended out into what looked like some sort of staff.  Each end was feathered, not like unrefined innocence, but something that echoed the appearance of a curved wing on each end.  It certainly wasn’t like any kind of anti-akuma weapon that Yuu had ever seen, but what really stood out to him was the way the staff appeared to melt into the bracelet Alma wore, which wrapped around her wrist, vine-like and disappearing beneath her sleeve.  
  
Yuu raised an eyebrow, and looked at Alma with slight curiosity. “Parasitic?”  
  
Alma nodded.  “Yes, but the attachment does make Celeste easier to use.”  
  
_‘Celeste, huh?’_ Yuu thought, before he unsheathed Mugen, activating it. “Maybe we should test it to be sure,” He spoke, before swinging his sword without warning.  
  
For a small second surprise flickered through Alma’s eyes, but her reflex was surprisingly fast.  She blocked the attack with the staff, pushing Yuu back before she swung.  It was at this moment the top end of the staff shifted its appearance, and the feathers melted into a scythe-like formation.  
  
Yuu was slightly surprised, but re-focused and deflected the attack.  There was a sharp clang as the two blades hit again, the feathers of Alma’s scythe-like innocence sharp against Mugen.    
  
They went back and forth for a few moments longer.  Yuu had been able to throw several attacks at Alma – never anything too extreme, as he was more or less trying to gage where she was skill-wise – but each time she was able to either deflect or attack right back.   _‘She’s actually pretty fast-‘_  
  
Yuu’s thoughts were cut short as Alma swung.  He managed to block the attack, but the force of which Alma hit him sent Yuu flying back, his body hitting the wall.  
  
Alma’s eyes widened a little, and she retracted her innocence as the feathered blades dissolved.  She ran over to where Yuu was, who was currently rubbing his head.  “Sorry!” She apologized, concern evident in her voice.  “I didn’t realize I’d swung that hard-“  
  
Yuu grimaced, and blinked.  He was seeing starts.  “Ugh, it’s fine.  Yeegar always says I have a hard head anyways…” He muttered, though his head  _was_  throbbing a bit.  
  
There was a small smile that appeared on Alma’s face, but a hint of worry remained in her eyes.  “You should probably stop by the infirmary just to be safe.”  
  
Immediately, Yuu had the urge to roll his eyes.  It wasn’t _that_ bad, and he honestly didn’t want Alma of all people to worry about something so trivial.  “It’s not like you took me out completely,” He grumbled.  “I’ve had worse.”  
  
Alma frowned a little at this, expression becoming more pensive.  “I still think it’d be smarter to get it looked at.  You _did_ go head first into a wall…”  
  
Yuu’s eyebrow twitched, though he wasn’t sure if it was from the dull throbbing or Alma’s prodding.  “Yeah, and who caused that?” He bit back before he could stop himself.  
  
For a second, Alma appeared a bit taken aback by the comment.  Then, her frown deepened – although it looked more like an offended pout to Yuu than anything.  “I didn’t do it on purpose.  I’m still working on handling Celeste!” She argued, tone growing somewhat defensive.  
  
A small snort escaped Yuu.  “Clearly…”  
  
“ _Excuse_ me?”  
  
Yuu shook his head.  “Just forget it – I’m heading out,” Yuu stated as he brushed by Alma.  Yuu knew that he was at the point where he’d likely say something stupid or that might escalate the situation if he didn’t step out, and the last thing Yuu needed was for Yeegar to get wind of it.  Besides, he was already in an aggravated mood, and definitely did _not_ feel up to anymore training with Alma.  
  
Softly, Alma huffed, but didn’t stop him.  “Fine then,” She spoke.   
  
Alma sounded as though she had meant to keep her words even, but they had a tinge of irritation to them as well.  Admittedly, Yuu hadn’t expected her to get so incensed; Alma had appeared so sugar and spice in the small time he’d known her, but it couldn’t be helped now, and he was eager to leave.   
  
Before anything else could be said, Yuu left the training room.  
  


* * *

  
  
Yuu didn’t really interact with Alma much the next few days.  Cassius had returned from his smaller assignment, which had been something of a blessing.  The other exorcist  was definitely on friendlier terms with Alma, which was good because Yuu could let them interact and keep to himself without getting much pressure from Yeegar to “show Alma around.” As far as anyone could tell, nothing abnormal was going on either, and no one seemed to be aware of any tension that might have been apparent between Yuu and Alma.  
  
This had surprised Yuu.  At first, he had wondered that maybe Alma might go back and tell Yeegar what had happened.  Alma had done no such thing though, and evidently had decided to keep quiet about the somewhat tense interaction she and Yuu had experienced.  The only thing that did seem noticeable was that Alma didn’t make much of an effort to interact with Yuu, aside from a polite greeting here and there – but never anything more.  
  
Personally, Yuu was alright with this.  Completely alright with it.  
  
“Why don’t you ever talk to Alma?  She’s nice enough,” Cassius asked one day.  It had been several days since he had returned from his assignment, and he and Yuu had been outside training.  
  
Yuu shrugged, not sure why Cassius was bringing it up.  “Just because we’re in the same unit doesn’t mean we have to be close or anything.”  
  
Cassius laughed.  “I didn’t say you had to be _close_ – but damn, you barely every acknowledge her,” The other exorcist pointed out.  A thoughtful look then passed over his face.  “Actually, come to think of it, Alma doesn’t really make as much an effort to talk to you either…”  
  
Yuu didn’t comment on this.  He didn’t want to accidentally hint to anything that had happened.  
  
“Wait.  Did something happen between you two?”  
  
Well, hell.  There went _that_ plan.  
  
“Nothing happened,” Yuu spoke, his response coming out somewhat quickly.   
  
To Yuu’s annoyance, Cassisus snickered.  “Let me guess.  Your charming social skills went to work, didn’t they?”  
  
Again, Yuu didn’t comment.   
  
“Shit.  What’d you do?”  
  
Yuu’s head whipped in Cassius’s direction, eyes flashing.  “I didn’t do _anything_ ,” Yuu snapped.  “She was the one who threw me into a fucking wall after I agreed to train with her!”  
  
There was a pause, and Cassius laughed heartily.  “Oh, so _that’s_ it, huh?  You got your ego bruised.”  
  
Yuu glared at Cassius icily.  Yuu got his _ego_ bruised?  More like his head, and he wasn’t exactly thrilled with how thoroughly entertained Cassius appeared by this all.  “That’s not what it was!”  
  
Folding his arms, Cassius looked at Yuu with intrigue.  “Yeah?  What’s it about then?  You’re getting pretty riled up even now.”  
  
The response caused Yuu to falter, and he found himself at a loss for what to say.   When put on the spot like that, Yuu realized that he wasn’t even sure _what_ it was that had caused him to get so irritable in the first place.  
  
Seeing Yuu’s lack of ability to retort, Cassius continued speaking.  “Seriously, you’re kind of acting pissy over nothing.  Just take it easy already,” He said.  While Cassius’s tone remained fairly light, it still had a somewhat serious edge to it.  “So, she knocked you into a wall.  I did that to you once and you got over it, so what’s the issue now?”  
  
Yuu exhaled.  As annoying as Cassius could be, he did have an aggravtingly sensible way to his thinking.  And Yuu couldn’t really argue back – Cassius was right, and in retrospect it wasn’t like Alma had done anything to really warrant Yu’s avoidance of her.  
  
Yuu leaned against a tree, and averted his gaze.  “I don’t know.  I just…something about her irritates me I guess,” He huffed.  “She’s just…”  
  
His words trailed off, but Yuu didn’t make an effort to finish his thought process.  He didn’t know how.  
  
Cassius blinked, then shrugged.  “Hey, you can’t help who you like.  But you really better learn to get more tolerant.  We’re all going to end up on an assignment together sooner or later, and I don’t want to play middle man.”  
  
Yuu rolled his eyes.  “No one said you had to…”  
  
“Just saying,” Cassius said, before heading back toward the building.  “Anyways, I’m going inside.  You coming?”  
  
Yuu shook his head.  “No, I’m going to train out here a bit longer.”  
  
Cassius nodded, then gave Yuu a small wave before he parted, heading back to headquarters.  Yuu released a small breath, and looked up at the sky.  It was dusk out, and painted with warm hues of pink, orange, and violet.   
  
Yuu would stay out a little longer.  He needed air.  _‘It’s easier to breathe out here anyways.’  
  
_ Outside.  Away from everything else.  Maybe that was what a part of it was – maybe being at the Order was finally getting to Yuu.  The assignments and the akuma.  Nothing ever really ended, and it was one stressor on top of another.  Yuu had never even understood why there were finders and scientists who would willingly subject them to such a tumultuous and unpredictable lifestyle; if Yuu had had more of a choice, he wouldn’t have done such a thing.   
  
Not that his life had had much meaning to begin with.  Before the Order, Yuu hadn’t…been much of anything. But, sometimes Yuu missed the simplicity that came with ignorance.  Being ignorant had been easier.  
  
He glanced down at Mugen, always so heavy and always weighing him down.  Yeegar always said it was the duty and responsibility of accommodators to accept their role, and use innocence to fight.  Yuu wondered if he was terrible person for thinking that belief was an unfair burden.  
  
Eventually, the sky started to darken a little.  Yuu hadn’t done any more training, but somehow he seemed to have lost track of time regardless.  
  
Sheathing his weapon, Yuu turned.  He didn’t want to go back inside just yet, so he opted to walk a bit around the area first.  Even in the evening, the outside world didn’t always appear as dark as the inside of headquarters.  
  
It was a few minutes of walking before Yuu heard something move.  He stilled, at first not sure if perhaps he had imagined it; but there it was – the sound of something small raking into the ground.   
  
Vaguely, Yuu recalled the garden he had seen when he returned from his last mission.  
  
There were two conflicting instincts that Yuu instantly felt.  The first was to leave, and avoid running into whoever it was that was outside.  But the second instinct, quiet yet oddly insistent, urged Yuu along to at least see who it was that would care enough for something so trivial.  
  
Somehow, the second instinct won out.  
  
Yuu was careful not to make any noise, but walked along.  He made sure to cut through the trees rather than allowing himself to be out in the open where anyone could see him, and soon enough Yuu could see the side of the building where the noise was coming from.  
  
A small frown appeared on Yuu’s face.  Whoever had been present didn’t appear to be around anymore.  
  
Yuu stepped out, and approached where the small garden before.  It didn’t appear much different than the last time he had seen it, although some of the sprouts had started to grow into more prominent flower buds.  They weren’t quite ready to bloom, but Yuu was a little surprised to see them there nevertheless. Apparently, someone _was_ invested in wasting their time on the garden.  
  
Soft footsteps alerted Yuu, and he turned.  When he did, he was immediately greeted by Alma’s surprised, wide blue eyes.  He noticed she was holding a watering can.  
  
Of course.  Of _course_ it would be Alma who would bother with a garden.  
  
There was a slightly awkward moment where neither of them said anything.  Alma looked a bit uneasy, really; she wasn’t by nature a quiet person, but it wasn’t as though she and Yuu had really had much luck conversing.  
  
Yuu quickly broke eye contact, his gaze flickering back over to the garden.   
  
“They’re not going to bloom for a little longer.  But the warmer weather will help.”  
  
Alma’s words were conversational, but slightly stiffer than any past attempts she had ever made with speaking to Yuu.  Yuu still kept his focus away from Alma.    
  
“Seems kind of pointless to start something like this…” Yuu bluntly observed.  
  
Alma blinked, then took a small breath.  “That’s your opinion,” She pointed out.  She didn’t sound quite as incensed as she had the last time they had interacted, but Alma’s tone held a hint of aggravation.  “I think it’s pointless for you to be sulking all the time, so there’s that.”  
  
Yuu turned to Alma sharply, a small glare in his eyes.  He opened his mouth as though to retort, but shut it immediately as Alma promptly shoved the watering can into his grasp.   
  
“Here,” Alma spoke, words firm.  “You should water them – it’ll probably cool you off a bit.”  
  
Yuu looked at Alma incredulously.   
  
Alma sighed.  “It’s supposed to be _therapeutic._   You know, so you feel better?”  
  
Yuu snorted.  “Tch.  Why would I need to feel better-“  
  
“Just water them.”  
  
There was a surprisingly strong resolve in Alma’s voice, and Yuu was briefly at a loss for how to counter her.  He exhaled in exasperation.  “Whatever,” He grumbled, not exactly pleased with the direction this interaction had gone in, but not entirely feeling up to arguing as well.  He could water the damn sprouts then let Alma play gardener by herself if she really wanted to – that wasn’t Yuu’s priority.  
  
Yuu made a move to water the sprouts, but stopped.  He realized he wasn’t entirely sure _how much_ he was supposed to water them, but it couldn’t have been that difficult, right?  If Alma could do it, Yuu could, and he really didn’t want to have to ask Alma how to do something as simple as watering a dumb flower.  
  
Quickly, Yuu poured the can, the water coming out in more of a rush than he was ready for.  
  
Alma quickly grabbed Yuu’s arm, stopping him.  “Wati!  You’re going to over-water them like that,” She explained.  Alma didn’t release her grasp, and instead moved her hand so it was over Yuu’s.  “Here.”  
  
Yuu stiffened at the touch, but didn’t try to pull away immediately.  It was a strange feeling to have Alma guiding his arm, helping him to water the sprouts in a way that wouldn’t drown them.   
  
Yuu also noticed that Alma had a very gentle touch.  
  
As soon as the thought entered his mind, Yuu felt his face heat up a little, and he was suddenly grateful for how dark it was beginning to get outside.  
  
Alma continued to guide Yuu, appearing unfazed by the interaction.  Soon, she pulled back his grip on the watering can, and stopped the flow once the sprouts had all been watered.  “See?  Just like that,” Alma spoke.  
  
For a second, her touch lingered on Yuu’s hand.  Alma swiftly released her hold when she realized she hadn’t yet let go.  “Ah, sorry,” She quickly apologized, before taking back the watering can.  “You probably want to go back now.”  
  
“It’s fine,” Yuu said.  His hand felt oddly cold without Alma’s touch, but he tried not to focus on that.   
  
Silence once again fell between them, although this time it was a little less awkward.  Yuu wouldn’t have called it comfortable, but there _was_ a noticeable decrease in any tension that might have been lingering in the air.  
  
Except now what?  Yuu knew that he didn’t have an _actual_ reason for staying any longer, and Alma had even given him an option to leave.  But here he was hesitating.  
  
Yuu glanced at the sprouts.  “What are you going to do when you start going on longer assignments?  They’ll die eventually…”  
  
Alma glanced at Yuu with a somewhat bewildered look.  Then, to his shock, she laughed.  “How are you such a downer?” She questioned.  “I’m sure someone here wouldn’t mind looking after them – it’s not as difficult to care for them once you get the hang of it.”  
  
Yuu remained quiet for a moment before vocalizing his thoughts.  “I don’t see the point of spending time on something so temporary.”  
  
Alma didn’t laugh at this.  However, a small smile remained on her face, and she looked at the flower buds.  “My cousin said something similar once,” She commented, no doubt referring to Sahlins.  “But I don’t know.  They’re not really temporary if you think about it.”  
  
At this, Yuu shifted his eyes over to Alma, his brow raised slightly.  Alma didn’t appear to notice and went on.  “They just sink into the earth, and go to sleep for a bit.  Then they wake up eventually.”  
  
“That’s a bit optimistic…”  
  
Another small laugh.  “Probably.  But it’s better than sulking all the time,” Alma commented, words playfully pointed.  She turned to Yuu, her bright eyes glistening despite the oncoming of night.  “I know we got off to a weird start, but if you want I can show you how to care for them.  Maybe you’d like it.”  
  
The offer caught Yuu off guard, and his expression was somewhat dumbfounded.  Gardening wasn’t something he’d ever cared to think about, and he didn’t have any kind of experience with plants whatsoever.  Before the Order, he had only ever worked odd jobs wherever he could find them – usually physical labor, and in more urban areas.  Never anything that required any level of _caring_ for something per say.   
  
When Yuu appeared to blank on a response, Alma chimed in.  “I only meant it as a suggestion.  So don’t feel like you have to,” She clarified.  “But I wouldn’t mind the company.”  
  
The earnestness was a bit surprising to Yuu, and he scoffed softly.  “Figured you wouldn’t want someone who sulks around.”  
  
“I don’t think you’re that bad.  A little grumpy maybe.”  
  
Yuu chose not to comment on that – more because he wasn’t entirely sure how to.  For whatever reason, the statement didn’t bother him as much as he thought it should have.  
  
Alma turned at that point.  “I need to go back in – you probably should get some rest too,” She said, as she glanced back at Yuu. ”It’s getting a little dark out here.”  
  
Yuu stared back at Alma, her eyes somehow shining through the darkness, and her soft smile visible.  He stared probably a second longer than he should have, but for whatever reason found it a challenge to look away.   
  
“It’s not that dark,” Yuu finally managed, his words quieter.  
  
Something flickered across Alma’s eyes, her smile briefly wavering a little in confusion.  But, before Yuu could try to read it any further, her lips upturned gently.  “Goodnight, Yuu.”  
  
Yuu only offered a small nod, as Alma went back into the building.   He looked back at the flowers.  
  
Somehow, they seemed a little less pointless.  
  


* * *

  
  
“You’ve gotten a lot better at this.”  
  
Yuu glanced back at Alma, who was looking at him as she knelt beside the other exorcist.  Like always, there was a smile on her face – bright, and one that seemed to reach into her eyes.   The same smile that always made Yuu’s heart skip a little.  
  
Yuu turned back to tending the small array of flowers that had blossomed.  “Yeah, well one of them is being stubborn…it’s been weeks and it’s still not doing anything….” He muttered, his attention flickering over to one flower that looked like it probably wouldn’t bloom.  
  
Alma’s attention moved to it as well.  “It’s just taking its time is all,” Alma spoke, before her eyes flashed with optimism.  “I bet that one will be the prettiest.”  
  
Wordlessly, Yuu looked at Alma.  Their eyes met for a second, and he moved his attention away.  “I doubt it.”  
  
Alma froze.  Her cheeks flushed a little bit, though it wasn’t as noticeable given the dusky color of the evening sky.  Still, Alma averted her gaze somewhat shyly.  
  
Yuu noticed this.  Initially, he didn’t move – it was hard to, and his body felt stiff.  Shaky, even.  But before Alma could stand, Yuu reached over, and gingerly took Alma’s hand.  “Hey…” He started, his voice strangely soft.  
  
Turning, Alma looked at Yuu with a slightly questioning look.  But before she could speak, Yuu leaned in, pressing his lips against Alma’s as their eyes closed, their hearts thudding in both of their chests.  
  
They spent every night together after that.  
  


* * *

  
  
“I need you two to go to South Asia.”  
  
Both Yuu and Alma looked surprised as the head chief addressed them, but Alma was the first to speak.  “What’s in South Asia? You’ve never sent us off that far east before, and Cassius and some finders just went out there,” She pointed out, before her tone shifted into one of unease.  “They’re alright, aren’t they?”  
  
The head chief, and older man with graying hair and a thin face, rested his chin on the knuckles of his hand.  “We lost contact with them a few days ago, but they went to an area that had started to see a spike in akuma activity.  They should have reported to the Asian Branch in the case of an emergency, but no one has heard from them yet.”  
  
Yuu frowned.  “You tell Yeegar?”  
  
“Yes – he’s still in Lithuania, but has said it might be best to send you two since you’ve both worked with Cassius.  Just be sure to report to the Asian Branch if anything happens.”  
  
As the head chief spoke, his words were heavy and weighed down.  The air in the room was tense as well.  It was no secret that more akuma activity had started to occur, and already most of the accommodators had been spread thin onto missions.   
  
Yuu and Alma had been some of the last to be remaining on standby.  
  
The head chief looked between the two.  “I’ve already arranged for you to leave today.  Make sure to meet down in the canal and a finder will head out with you both.”  
  
Both Alma and Yuu nodded, and were dismissed shortly after some further briefing over where they were heading.  As soon as the exited the head chief’s office, Alma turned to Yuu.  “Well, I always have wanted to see South Asia,” She spoke, offering a small smile in Yuu’s direction.  
  
Yuu rolled his eyes.  “Don’t lose sight of the mission…”  
  
“I won’t,” Alma said, as they walked on.  “But I am looking forward to at least making it to the Asian Branch.  I haven’t seen Sahlins in a while.”  
  
Yuu scoffed under his breath quietly.  He knew Sahlins and Alma were related, and that she probably in some odd way had missed him since he transferred to the Asian Lab several months ago.  But Yuu couldn’t say he missed the guy.  “What’s he even working on over there?”  
  
Alma shrugged.  “Not sure.  He never would talk much about what the science division does….but I know he’s working with the Chang’s on something,” Alma explained, a somewhat thoughtful look in her eyes.  “Must be pretty importan, whatever it is…”  
  
Yuu didn’t say anything at first.  Whatever the science department did was beyond him, but frankly he didn’t care as long as he didn’t have to deal with them directly.  
  
Yuu wasn’t certain why, but the scientists just…unsettled him.  He couldn’t explain it.  
  
The two of them were coming to where they would each have to part ways to collect any personal belongings before leaving, but before Alma could go to her room Yuu stopped her, pulling her gently by the wrist.  Tenderly, he placed a small kiss onto her forehead.  
  
A small laugh escaped Alma.  “Yuu – you shouldn’t do that here,” She playfully remarked, cheeks flushed a little.  
  
“Yeah, well no one’s around now…” Yuu murmured, as he kept Alma close.  He closed his eyes, and held both of her wrists as he continued to press his lips into her hair.  He noticed the soft, floral scent of it.  _‘Flowers.’_  
  
Opening his eyes, Yuu spoke quietly.  “Make sure you stay safe on this one.”  
  
Lips quirking upward, Alma ran her fingers over Yuu’s hand.  “Don’t worry,” She reassured.  “You’ll be with me, so I have nothing to worry about.”  
  
Alma pulled back, just so she could look up into Yuu’s eyes.  “We’ve come back from every other assignment, haven’t we?  We’ll come back from this one just fine.”  
  
Yuu’s gaze was soft, but something stirred within him.  He didn’t know what it was, but it was as though there was a small, icy sensation creeping throughout his core.  
  
All he could do was hope that it was nothing, and that Alma would be right.  
  


* * *

  
  
“Hey – do you know this flower?”  
  
Yuu looked to where Alma had gone.  She was currently overlooking an area with muddy water, where several tall, wilted-looking blossoms of some kind had sprouted out.   
  
“It’s called a lotus flower.  I’ve never seen one, since they only really grow in some parts of Asia – but they’re similar to water lilies,” She explained.  “They grow through the mud toward the sun, and they reach toward the sky as they fill the world with their sweet scent.”  
  
_‘Through the mud, huh…?’_ Yuu thought, as he looked at the wilted flowers.  He wondered what they might have looked in full bloom, before they had reached this state.  Yuu had a feeling that they might have been quite beautiful to look at.  
  
“Sound familiar?” Alma asked, the familiar wistfulness of optimism in her voice.  “They remind me of us…of exorcists.”  
  
Despite his tendency to be more cynical, Yuu felt himself smile.  “Yeah?” He asked.  “Maybe we should come back, and see them when they’re actually in bloom then.”  
  
Alma laughed.  “It could be a while.  Sometimes when they sink back they don’t always bloom right away.”  
  
“I don’t mind waiting until then.”  
  
Alma turned to Yuu, her smile, pure and light, radiating.  “Really?  Even if it’s not until we’re old?”  
  
Yuu smiled.  “If you’ll wait…yeah.”  
  
Alma looked at Yuu.  As she looked at him, her gaze was filled with a sweet tenderness that Yuu never wanted to forget – that he never _could_ forget.  “I’ll wait for you…forever.”  
  
_‘Forever…’_ Yuu thought, the sentiment holding a promise that he found himself desperate to keep.   
  
Approaching Alma, Yuu took her hand.  “Hey…” He started, tone a little uncertain.  Yuu had intended to actually face Alma, but it was oddly difficult to do so, and he found himself looking down.  “I…”  
  
Alma looked at Yuu with slight bewilderment, but didn’t say anything.  
  
Yuu took a breath, trying to compose himself.  “Whenever…this is over.  The fighting, and the assignments…I…” He tried to speak, a little awkward and tongue-tied.  “I…really want to spend the rest of my life with you…”  
  
Alma’s eyes widened a little, as she suddenly grasped what Yuu was saying.  Her face instantly lit up, and before Yuu could even finish she broke.  “Yes!”  
  
Yuu blinked, somewhat taken aback by the way in which Alma just _answered_.  But the understanding that had passed between them was an immediate relief, and he smiled at her.   
  
Yuu had opened his mouth to say something, but Alma’s eyes flickered to something behind him, and they widened.  “Yuu-!” She shouted, and Yuu turned-  
  


* * *

  
  
Blood.   The smell of blood and dirt filled the air, putrid and nauseating.   Toxic fumes filled the air, mixing into the scalding  heat and smothering humidity.  
  
Yuu tried to move, his lungs choked up with something thick and hot – _more blood_ – and the taste of copper filled all of his mouth.  He was sticky and wet too – a combination of blood and murky water, as the wilted lotus reeds stood over him, with the blue sky hanging high above.   
  
He lifted his hand, red and stained.  _‘Reaching…toward the sky…’_  
  
It was hard to move.  _So hard to move_.  Yuu couldn’t feel his legs, and every time he tried to speak he wanted to cough.  But he couldn’t, and breathing was difficult.  
  
“Al…” He tried to say, as he continued to reach out his hand.   
  
If only he could stand.  If only he could find her.  He had to find her.  
  
But he couldn’t hear her.  He could see her.  He didn’t know where she was anymore.  _‘Alma…’_  
  
The sound of something approaching could be heard, large and crushing.  Yuu blinked, and as he opened his eyes he could see the repulsive face of an akuma – clown-like and monstrous – standing over him.  Grotesque.  Horrifying.  
  
_Damning._  
  
The demon tilted its head, its face twisted into a cruel, gruesome grin.  “Well, well, you’re still _alive_.”  
  
Yuu had to move.  He had to get Mugen.  He had to find Alma.  
  
_‘Alma.  I have to find Alma…’  
  
_ The akuma raised its hand, clawed and sharp.  “Thanks for letting me know, exorcist!”  
  
_‘I have to find her.  I have to…’  
  
_ The claws came down, and slashed across his chest.  Yuu coughed, choking even more.  
  
_‘I have to find…’  
  
‘To find…’  
  
‘…’  
  
_ The world became dark, and he could no longer breathe.  
  


* * *

  
  
“The bodies were recovered.  Were we to use these exorcists as well?”  
  
Sahlins turned, and looked at the other scientist.  He then went back to his work.  “You should be asking Zhu – he’s the one who is primarily handling this experiment,” He commented, his words containing an icy edge.  
  
The other scientist appeared a bit uneasy, and shifted.  “Ah, well it’s just…one of them is related to you, right?  Are you sure you want to use her-“  
  
“We can’t afford to waste any accommodators.  We’ve lost too many already,” Sahlins pointed out sharply.  “Go ahead and do with them what you’ve done with the others.”  
  
Somewhat awkwardly, the scientist nodded, then left the office.  
  
Once alone, Sahlins glanced down at his desk.  On it were some updated files – all containing notes on all recently deceased exorcists.  
  
Two of them were newer, but Sahlins didn’t bother to look at them.   
  
He already knew who they belonged to.  


**Author's Note:**

> This was my other contribution to the DGM big Bang 2018, and originally the only fic I was planning to work on (Red Strings was a piece I took on after). My wonderful partner for this piece, KiN-Chan (kin-chann on Tumblr), has done some /beautiful/ art to go with it – so please be sure to check them out!!
> 
> This fic was definitely a harder one to work on, and for a lot of reasons. We really don’t know as much about Past!Kanda or Past!Alma, and I did take a lot of liberties in terms of characterization and headcanons. I did try to keep it someone in line with canon material, but ah, I’m sure some of the ideas were definitely specific to my own weird way of thinking. Hopefully it at least made some level of sense.
> 
> I will say, when I first started to plot this it /was/ going to be longer – but with picking up a second Big Bang fic, and starting several other projects, I really ended up editing this down a lot. I don’t know – it might be something I eventually re-work, but at the very least I wanted to focus on how Alma and Yuu met, and sort of how their relationship started off (and….how it ended. Ugh.)
> 
> Anyways - I hope you enjoyed this take on them. I know it got…very painful at the end there. Those last few scenes were rough to write for sure. >.<


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